


A tale of two cities

by arrowupmysleeve



Series: Ripples [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bombing, Death Watch (Star Wars), Gen, Human Trafficking, I'll probably add tags as the they comes up, Jango Fett/Obi-Wan Kenobi - Freeform, Jaster Mereel/Myles QPR, Mandalorian History (Star Wars), Mandalorian Politics (Star Wars), New Mandalorians, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, True Mandalorians, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:08:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28177401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arrowupmysleeve/pseuds/arrowupmysleeve
Summary: "Kalevala is a desert planet?" Shmi asks as they drop out of hyperspace, and Kalevala comes fully into view. She sounds surprised, and Jango glances at her. He had taken the pilot seat, and Shmi had once again been assigned as co-pilot, with Arla taking the comm station, but she was walking up to join them."More like a toxic wasteland," Arla says and leans on the back of Shmi's chair. "Kalevala never really recovered after the Dral'Han."Shmi looks back at Arla. "The what?" Her comprehension of Mando'a has improved with impressive speed and staying with Sana, and his clan has only helped, but she was still new to the language."The Annihilation," Janog translates, and he turns to smile bitterly at Shmi. "Or as the Republic likes to call it: the Mandalorian Excision.""The orbital bombardment," Shmi says in a horrified voice. "It destroyed the planet."--Jaster and the Haat'ade finally get to Kalevala for the meeting with the Old Clans and The New Mandalorians. There are political scheming, impassions speeches, and partying. So much partying.Obi-Wan on the other hand is on a mission with Qui-Gon where he makes meets new people, makes new friends and learns new lessons.
Relationships: Arla Fett & Jango Fett & Jaster Mereel
Series: Ripples [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2032930
Comments: 75
Kudos: 526





	1. Kalevala

"Kalevala is a desert planet?" Shmi asks as they drop out of hyperspace, and Kalevala comes fully into view. She sounds surprised, and Jango glances at her. He had taken the pilot seat, and Shmi had once again been assigned as co-pilot, with Arla taking the comm station, but she was walking up to join them. 

"More like a toxic wasteland," Arla says and leans on the back of Shmi's chair. "Kalevala never really recovered after the Dral'Han."

Shmi looks back at Arla. "The what?" Her comprehension of Mando'a has improved with impressive speed and staying with Sana and his clan has only helped, but she was still new to the language. 

"The Annihilation," Janog translates, and he turns to smile bitterly at Shmi. "Or as the Republic likes to call it: the Mandalorian Excision."

"The orbital bombardment," Shmi says in a horrified voice. "It destroyed the planet."

Jango is not surprised that Shmi knows of the event. She had taken to Jaster's books with great interest, and most of them described history from the Dral'Han and back. Still, she relies on them to help her navigate the newer history and Mandalore's current relationship to the Galactic Republic.

"To be fair, Kalevala was already a toxic wasteland," Jango says," but any progress made on healing the damage done was lost during the Dral'Han." 

"See that white spot right under the equator?" Arla leans over Shmi's shoulder, pointing, and when Shmi nods, Arla continues. "That was a town surrounded by farmland before the Dral'Han. It had taken centuries of hard work from several Clans to make anything grow there, and now it's all gone. Lost in the toxic waste," Arla slumps and turns her head to look at Shmi. "We are not known for our peaceful way of life or our farmlands, but Fett, Vhett in Mando'a, means farmer. We lost several branches of our Clan on Kalevala."

Jango clears his throat and leans forward to flip a couple of switches. "No Mando'ade will ever have anything but spite for the Republic or anyone working for them. Even the New Mandalorians don't like to call on the Republic for help."

There is currently only one exception to that rule, and Jango wants to keep it at that. "But since they are the government that is recognized by the Senate, all official help has to come through them," Jango finishes and looks back at Shmi.

"How did that happen?" Shmi asks and frowns. "I mean, the Mand'alor is the king, right?"

"In the aftermath of the Dral'Han, the Republic installed a loyal caretaker government from what was left of the pro-Republic faction from before the bombardment," Arla steps past the co-pilot's chair and leans against the dash to look properly at Shmi. This was important. 

"It was from this ruin that the New Mandalorian first gained power. They saw what war brought them and said never again," Arla crosses her arms. "And since the Mando'ade has always been decentralized and doesn't really have a government, as the Republic understands it at least, the New Mandalorians could position themselves as the rulers of Mandalore."

"Clan Kryze also got their political power from the Republic. It's how their Clan Chieftain got the title of Duke or Duchess," Jango tells Shmi, and Arla scoffs.

"That was a long time ago, and it's not like the titles weren't in use before the Dral'Han," Arla says to Jango and looks back at Shmi. "The current Duke Kryze is one of the Haat Mando'ade's strongest supporters and a powerful warlord in his own right."

"So Clan Kryze rules Kalevala?" Shmi asks.

Jango makes a seesaw motion with his hand. "Kalevala has a prince/princess, but when the other Clans were unable to protect the people of Kalevala, Clan Kryze rose and took charge of most of the planet. They have been fighting for Kalevala for generations now."

"There are other political factions on Kalevala, but Clan and House Kryze are so huge, they have members in almost all of them," Arla says and looks over her shoulder at the planet.

Shmi bites her lip. "Even in Death Watch?"

Arla pulls a face of utter disgust, and Jango knows he isn't much better. 

"Yes," Arla's answer is clipped. "But they also have Clan members in the Haat'ade and the New Mandalorians. It's why this meeting can even happen."

Jango nods. "The New Mandalorians trust Duke Kryze and the Old Clans respects him, and when Jaster agreed to the meeting, it would have been seen as a weakness not to show your buy’ce there."

"The Duke sounds like quite the man," Shmi says.

"Oh, he is," Jaster answers as he walks into the cockpit. "And he has a mean right hook."

"You got into a fight with Duka Adonai Kryze?" Arla says in delight. Clearly, her blackmail campaign has missed that story.

"He was not the Duke at the time. He was elected Clan Chieftain the year after I was made Mand'alor," Jaster says and eyes his ad warily.

"You are avoiding the question," Arla says, and she sounds beyond delighted now.

"We'll meet up with the Duke in Yaian. Afterward, I want the three of you to take a look around town," Jaster says, hands a datapad to Arla, who narrows her eyes at her buir. Jaster is trying to change the subject, and Jango has to turn back to the controls to hide his grin. If Jaster thought this was over, he had another thing coming. Jango knew his sister, and Arla could be patient when she wanted to be.

"Also, I need one of you to be on comms this evening and tomorrow morning," Jaster says, and Jango groans. 

"Don't give me that attitude. Myles and his people will be in hyperspace, and I need someone to watch the comms while he is unavailable," Jaster kicks at the back of Jango's chair. "And I will be taking the night watch, so you have no reason to complain."

"I can do it," Shmi offers, but Jaster is already shaking his head.

"No, sorry, Shmi, but the comms are for any Haat'ade in the field calling for backup, new directives, or medical attention," Jaster explains. "We can only have senior personnel in that role, and you are not quite there yet. It's going to have to be on the other two."

Jango slants a sideways look at Arla, who meets his gaze head-on.

"Lightsaber, beskar, flimsi?" She asks after a long, drawn-out moment, and Jango narrows his eyes at her.

"You always win," He grumbles but turns to face her. "On three?"

She nods, does the count, and Jango swears as Arla's beskar beats out his lightsaber.

"Oh, Jango. Always with the lightsaber," Arla grins at him and turns to Jaster. "I'll take the morning shift."

Blinking, Jango turns to raise an eyebrow at her, and Arla huffs. "Don't look at me like that. You hate mornings."

"So do you," He counters, and Arla crosses her arms.

"Do you want to take the morning shift?" She asks with incredulity.

"No," Jango protests, and Arla turns back to her datapad.

"Then stop complaining," She tells him.

\--

Jango lands the ship outside the walls of Yaian, and after making a quick check of the ship, Jaster lowers the ramp and steps out. The walls of the city are looming over them as Jaster heads for the gates and the guards standing there, but it doesn't seem to be too busy, as one of them is leaning back against the wall, helmet tilted back to look at the sky, and the other is sitting on the ground throwing rocks. The one leaning against the wall sees him first and lifts their hand in a lazy salute, which Jaster copies. 

Seconds later, the guard jerks in surprise and flails upright. They must say something to their partner on comms because the second guard glances up and then staggers to their feet. By the time Jaster is close enough to speak to them and be heard, both guards stand upright and perfect parade rest. 

"Mand'alor," The one on the left, the skywatcher, greets him, and Jaster can't help but smile under his helmet. The guard's helmet is light blue, with brown trim around the visor. The rest of the armor is also blue, but purple markings on their vambraces.

"Good morning," Jaster says in return and looks at the other guard. They have the same blue armor, but their helmet has a black trim around the visor. "Having a busy day?"

"You know Yaian, Mand'alor. We never have a day of rest," She says, and Jaster grins.

"That sounds about right. You have a name I can use?" Jaster asks.

"Whana of Clan Trok," The left guard says and gestures to the other. "And my sister Thake."

"Have Duke Kryze arrived?" He asks them, and the guards glance at each other.

"He landed a week ago," Whana confirms.

"But?" Jasterasks and crosses his arms.

"Heiress Kryze strode in this morning, with Lady Kryze and her children in tow," Thake says, and Jaster blinks in confusion.

"I thought they were supposed to be staying in the capital. Their youngest is bearly a year old," Jaster says and glances back at his ade, but they both shrug at him.

"I think the Duke was under the same impression if the conversation we overheard was anything to go by," Thake says.

Whana snorts, and when they all turn to look at her, she makes a helpless gesture. "It was more of a screaming match than anything else."

Right. That was going to be interesting.

"You staying for Aay'han, Mad'alor?" Thake asks, and Jaster focuses back on the topic at hand.

"Yes, we are. How are the preparations going?" He asks, and Whana almost bounces on her feet in excitement. Jaster raises an eyebrow. He has clearly overestimated their age.

"We have a couple on Banthas coming in from a neighboring farm tomorrow," She tells them, and when Jaster only nods, she shifts gear. "Since you are staying for Aay'han, do you need any repairs to your ship?"

Blinking, Jaster turns back to look at the _Atin Vercopa_ , and he tilts his head at Jango, who shakes his head. "No repairs needed. We are coming straight from Mandalore. We had it all fixed there." 

Whana nods, and after another quick back and forth, Jaster leads the way into the city. Finding the way to the inn Duke Kryze mentioned is not that hard considering the town is not that big, and Jaster has half a second to worry about where they will host everyone coming in from off-world, but Jaster lets it go. The Duke is not known for his inattention, and since he arranged the meeting, it can be his fault if it falls apart.

The moment Jaster steps in the door, he is met by the sound of muffled shouting. The innkeeper, an older gentleman with dark brown skin, tight braids, and tattoos all up his left arms takes one look at him, rolls his eyes, and then waves him through to the dining hall. 

Taking a second to remove and tie his helmet to his belt, Jaster walks through the door and is stoped by the sight of Duke Kryze arguing with a blond teenager he identifies as Satine at the other end of the room.

"Mand'alor," A soft voice calls out, and when Jaster turns to the left, he meets the amused gaze of Lady Kryze.

"Lady Shea, it's good to see you again," Jaster says, and gestures for the rest of them to follow him in and closes the door. Jaster hasn't seen Shea dressed in armor for almost a decade, but seeing her in anything else is still a shock to the system.

"You remember my ade, Arla and Jango," He gestures at them and then at Shmi. "And this is Shmi."

The three of them exchange greetings before Shea turns to greet Shmi. Shea grasps her wrist and smiles at her. "Good to meet you, Shmi." Shea glances at Jaster before looking back at Shmi. "I see Jaster picked up another stray. Have you met Myles yet?"

"No, I have not," Shmi answers with a small smile. "But I hear good things."

"Why does everyone ask that?" Jaster demands, but at Shea's raised eyebrow, he quiets down. "He'll be here tomorrow."

"Good, I could use another rational being to talk to," Shea says. "And the rest of the Haat'ade?"

"The ones that want to join us for the New Year will be here by the end of the week. We'll see who shows up," Jaster says and looks back at Adonai and Satine. "How long have they been at it?"

"We arrived two hours ago," Shea smiles and looks back at her husband and ade. "So, almost two hours now."

Nodding sagely, Jaster replies. "Satine inherited Adonai's diplomatic skill then."

Had Shea been anyone else, Jaster would have described the noise she makes as a snort. "She did. How was your stay in Mandalore?"

"It went well. We needed the rest," Jaster tells her. "Where are the rest of your brood?"

Shea gives him a look at that but answers the question. "Bo-Katan is taking her afternoon nap, and since Agaar is grounded, he is watching her."

"May I ask what he did to get grounded?" Jaster asks, and he can feel his lips twitch as Shea purses her lips in disapproval.

"He tried to hotwire three jetpacks together to make, and I quote, the ultimate jetpack," Shea crosses her arms, stops as she realizes that will wrinkle the sleeves of her dress, and instead folds her hands in front of her. "It wouldn't have worked, and it would have blown up in his face."

Jaster very carefully keeps his face blank and doesn't think about the time Shea had hotwired three jetpacks together to make the ultimate bomb. 

"What are they arguing about?" He asks instead.

"Adonai wants to send Satine out of the system," Shea says, and Jaster sigh.

"Satine doesn't agree with that?" He asks as the yelling reaches a fever pitch.

"No, she does not," Shea says with a smile.

"And you?" Jaster glances at her. "What do you think?"

"I suggested it," Shea says. "I'm thinking of sending Agaar and Bo-Katan to my Clan on Mandalore. They have a lower profile than my husbands."

Jaster gives her a look, which she promptly ignores.

"The tension is rising among the Clans," Jaster offers, and Shea hums.

"That's what happens when the Clans are left to their own devices," Shea tells him.

Jaster feels his temper flare. "I made the choices I thought were best at the time," He turns to face Shea. "I saw Kyr'tsad as the bigger problem and went after them."

"I did not say it was your fault or that you made the wrong choice," Shea says, and Jaster grumbles. "But non the less, we now have to face the consequences of that choice."

The shouting match comes to an abrupt halt, and Jaster looks up to see Adonai heading towards him. The Duke has not changed much since the last time they saw each other. He was still blond and blue-eyed. Perhaps he has a few more wrinkles and gray hairs, but then again, so did Jaster.

"Mand'alor," Duke Adonai places a hand over his heart and bows. On his left side, Satine follows his lead.

Smiling, Jaster steps forward, offering his hand, which Adonai grasps and uses to pull Jaster forward into a hug.

"Good to see you, vod," Jaster says and steps back. 

"You too, vod," Adonai gestures at Satine. "You have met Satine before."

"Of course," Jaster says, and they shake hands. "Arla, Jango, Shmi. Come, say hi, like normal people."

Arla rolls her eyes and steps past Jaster to hug Adonai.

"It has been too long," Adonai says and turns to shake Jango's hand. "But it seems you have picked up another ad."

"Adonai, she is not my-" Jaster cuts himself off and rolls his eyes. "Let me introduce you to Lady Shmi Skywalker."

The Duke gives him an innocent expression and steps forward to take Shmi's forearm. "Olarom, I'm Adonai of Clan Kryze, House Kryze." 

Jaster narrows his eyes at the Duke and crosses his arms. He knows what Adonai is doing. 

Shmi glances at Jaster, but she meets Adonai's eyes squarely and lifts her chin. "I'm Shmi of Clan Skywalker, House Mereel. It's a pleasure to meet you, Duke Kryze."

"The honor is all mine, Lady Skywalker," Adonai says and grins at Jaster. 

The Duke is wearing his smuggest grin, and Jaster huffs a laugh. He turns to his ade and wawes them out the door. "Get out of here, take a look around, watch each other's back. The Duke and I have a business to discuss."

Shea steps past Jaster to kiss Adoni's cheek. "It is almost time for Bo'ika to get up. I'll see you later," She tells him and turns to look at Satine. "Are you staying or coming with me?"

Satine glances at her father. "I'll come with you. At least Bo'ika is a better conversating partner than buir." She declares and marches after Shea. The rest of them follows, but Arla can't leave without having the last word.

"Dont start any fights while we are gone," Alra says with a grin and closes the door after her.

Adonai gives him a questioning look, and Jaster rolls his eyes. "I told her that you have a mean right hook."

He glances at the door and back at Jaster. "Doesn't she already knows about the mission to Corellia?"

"Oh, she does." Jaster grins at Adonai. "But she doesn't know that you were there. Turn out some of my verde knows the meaning of the word discretion."

Adonai nods solemnly, lips twitching. "Did you ever hear back from that jetii?" 

"No," Jaster says and feels his ears heat up as Adonai starts laughing at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:  
> Dral'Han - the Annihilation  
> Vhett - farmer  
> Mando'ade - Mandalorians (pl) - sons and/ or daughters of Mandalore  
> Mand'alor - sole ruler  
> Buy’ce - helmet  
> Aay'han - bittersweet perfect moment of mourning and joy - *remembering and celebrating*  
> Atin - stubborn, tenacious, capable of endurance  
> Vercopa - wish, dream  
> Ad - daughter/ son/ child  
> Ade - children, sons, daughters  
> Haat'ade - True Children  
> Haat Mando'ade- True Children of Mandalore  
> Kyr'tsad - Death Watch (lit. Death Society) - breakaway Mandalorian sect  
> Vod - brother, sister, comrade, *mate*  
> Buir - father, mother, parent  
> Olarom - welcome (greeting)  
> Verde - soldiers  
> Jetii - Jedi
> 
> Echodoki drew a scene from chapter 3. They @me on Tumblr and I was so kriffing happy.
> 
> https://echodoki-blog.tumblr.com/post/637606365483941888/inspired-by-chapter-3-of-always-in-motion-is-the
> 
> Aay'han is the Mandalorian New Year celebration. I was already thinking about a celebration like this, but I got the name from this Tumblr post.
> 
> https://thebisexualmandalorian.tumblr.com/post/176908786487


	2. The Haat'ade arrives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, please ignore all spelling and grammar mistakes. (I do try to fix the ones you point out in the comments, but I don't always have the time to do so immediately.)
> 
> \--

The inn they are going to be staying at is only two streets away from the market, so this is where Arla, Jango, and Shmi start first on their grand tour of Yaian. Shmi's first impression of the market is that it's big, bright, and full of different colors.

"Wha-" Shmi exclaims as Arla pulls her to the side. Seconds later, a group of children, all of them dressed in various amounts of armor, barrels past them just where Shmi had been standing.

"Watch where you're going!" The nearest vendor yells after them, and the kids turn and call out an apology in at least three different languages, none of them in Basic, to Shmi before they continue on their merry way.

The vendor huffs but turns to Shmi. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Shmi assures the Mandalorian. They are wearing full armor, painted mostly yellow and green, so she can't see what species or gender they are, but Shmi can see the hint of a tentacle poking out at the back of their neck.

The vendor nods and glances at Arla and Jango. There is a sharp intake of breath as they notice the Mythosaur painted on their pauldrons, and then the Mandalorian nods respectfully at them. 

"Is the Mand'alor in town?" They ask as Arla pulls the helmet off her head and secures it to her belt. 

"Elek, buir is talking to Duke Kryze," She replies as Jango follows her lead and removes his helmet. 

There is a slight pause as the vendor stares at them before Arla steps up the stall and asks about their products. It turns out the vendor is a butcher, and Arla takes the opportunity to place a large order of meat for Aay'han.

"I'm almost sold out," The vendor says, but Arla waves it away.

"We'll take what you have left. Can you deliver it to the Meshurok Inn?" She asks, and when the vendor nods, she smiles, and the talk continues.

The same pattern repeats at the next couple of stalls. Arla and Jango will peruse the wares, not always buying anything, but they will talk with the vendors and listen to what they say. It's not until one of the vendors ask about Jaster and if the Mand'alor will be willing to stay for a wedding in three weeks, and Arla _politely_ accepts the invitation on his behalf, that Shmi realizes what is happening.

This is the heirs of the Mand'alor greeting and listening to their people.

"Wouldn't it be better to have the wedding now, before Aay'han?" Jango asks, and the Mandalorian they are speaking to laughs.

"It sure would," Artia answers. Her armor has the same color as the green fields around Yaian, with a light blue flight suit. "But we have kin coming in for the meeting next week, so we are waiting until afterward."

Arla grins at her. 

"The good or bad kind?" She asks, and all Artia does is grimaces.

"And you want the Mand'alor to be there?" Jango asks incredulously.

"We're hoping his attendance will smooth things out," Artia admits.

"We'll be there," Arla promises, and they part ways.

\--

Not all conversations go that smoothly, or so Shmi finds out.

She is trying to hand a Rodian shop owner her credits, and he keeps refusing. None of the languages Shmi and the vendor speak overlap, except Mando'a, and Shmi's comprehension isn't the best. Add on that the Rodian has a pretty pronounced accent, and Shmi can understand about every fifth word, but she knows that it's not her credits the Rodian has a problem with.

Arla slides up next to her and takes the baked good the Rodian is holding out, and at the same time, she grasps Shmi's hand and lowers it. The two exchange a few words before Arla turns to Shmi and gives her the baked goods despite Shmi's protests.

"It's a gift," Arla tells her, and Shmi blinks at her. Arla smiles, glances at the old Rodian, and lifts Shmi's hand to indicate her vambraces. "To the newest member of House Mereel."

Shmi glances at her vambraces and swallows. She had listened to Jango's explanation of colors and how they related to Clans and Houses. Still, it somehow hadn't registered in her mind that other people would connect her to House Mereel when she had painted her vambraces in the same red as Aral, Janog, and Jaster.

"Vor entye," Shmi says to the Rodian, who shakes his head and says something in rapid Mando'a.

"No, no debt needed," Arla translates. "My family has always supported the Mand'alor, and we appreciate the sacrifice you are all making in the fight against Death Watch."

Shmi sends a shaky smile to the Rodian, who beams back before turning back to his baking tray. Arla gently pulls Shmi along, and they walk down the line of stalls.

"We can leave if you are uncomfortable representing House Mereel and the Haat'ade," Arla offers.

Shmi considers the offer and is about to answer when they round a corner and find Jango sitting on his hunches talking to one of the many children running around. He is nodding, face grave as he listens to a small Duro talking, at the same time as the kid is stuffing his face with the food Jango is offering. Others soon join them, and a young Twi'lek girl asks a question, which makes Jango pause for a second as he considers his answer. Shmi is too far away to hear the conversation, but whatever answer the Twi'lek gets makes her clap her hands in delight and spin on her heel to run towards a stall operated by, if Shmi had to guess, was her clan as the color matched the Twi'leks clothes.

Blinking, Shmi takes another look around the market. She had noted the colors before, but now she sees them with new eyes. 

Shmi looks down at her own vambraces again. Both of them have red outlines, matching the red on Arla and Jango's armor, but on her left vambrace, Shmi has painted the binary suns of Tatooine. One of the suns is painted in different hues of red, the other a blazing gold, and it's all set against a background of orange that blends into red at the edges.

She hadn't had enough time to start painting the right one, so she had only painted the edges red and left the rest gray.

Taking a deep breath, Shmi smiles at Arla.

"No, I'm good," She says, and Arla grins at her.

\--

The three of them move out of the crowded market and into one of the less crowded side streets. Almost all the storefronts have some kind of white or purple decorations hanging in the windows, and Shmi turns her head to study the most elaborate ones.

"It's for Aay'han," Jango tells her. "White for new starts, and purple for remembrance and mourning."

"I thought purple was for luck," Shmi says and stops to let a cart pass in front of her.

"Different clans have different meanings," Jango explains. "Yellow is also used for remembrance, and other Clans use it for loyalty."

"And some Clans doesn't adhere to color meaning at all. They use whatever color they want," Arla says.

"So, Aay'han is a celebration of the new year?" Shmi asks Arla, who nods.

"The celebration is different from Clan to Clan, but usually, it's celebrated with sharing food and drinks," Arla answers. "We tell stories about the Manda, our ancestors, and the people we have lost. As the name suggests, it's about the bittersweet, perfect moment of mourning and joy."

Frowning, Shmi turns to ask Jango a follow-up question only to find him gone. She turns fully to see Jango standing by the door to one of the many stores. He glances at them, grins, and then walks into the shop. Arla rolls her eyes at her brother's dramatics, but both of them follow after him.

The shop is pretty small and so hot Shmi immediately misses the cool outside air. The displays are full of knives, rings, and armor pieces, but it's the women clasping Jango's hand at the counter that pulls all the attention. Behind her, Arla makes a noise of surprise.

"Xana!" Arla calls out, and the woman turns to look at them.

"Arla," Xana greets in return, and Arla strides forward to pull her into a hug.

"I didn't know you were coming to Yaian," Arla says as she pulls back.

"I didn't plan to," Xana confesses. "But my cousin informed me that the Haat'ade could use some armor upgrades."

Shmi studies the woman. She is in her early thirties, clad in dark silver armor with a purple pattern across the chest and backplate. The motif is of a tree, without leaves, with its branches reaching up towards the shoulders. Her vambraces were also silver and purple, with a splash of pink across the edges.

Xana steps forward to shake Shmi's hand, and she studies Shmi's vambraces before Xana smiles at her.

"If you need armor, you are talking to the right person," And now it's Xana's turn to study Shmi. "You are a little on the skinny side, but we can work with that."

"I haven't sworn the Resol'nare," Shim protests. She can feel her ears heat up as Arla and Jango snickers, and Shmi glares at them, but Xana raises an eyebrow at her.

"You are wearing the colors of House Mereel, and I assume you will be joining the Haat'ade?" Xana waits for Shmi's confirmation before she continues. "Then you should be eligible for the beskar'gam program."

When Shmi only gives her a look of confusion, Xana crosses her arms and turns a flat look at the Fett siblings.

"We haven't gotten that far yet," Arla protests, and Jango nods.

"And we didn't want to pressure Shmi into choosing before she was ready," Jango picks up where Arla left off when Xana continues looking unimpressed.

"Beskar'gam program?" Shmi asks, and Xana turns back to look at her.

"Yes, not every member of Haat'ade can afford full beskar armor or have access to it, and some of them weren't even Mando'ade before they joined up," Xana explains. This is clearly a passion of hers if the cadence of her voice is anything to go by. "And we can't send our verde out to fight with substandard armor and equipment."

"Not that every verde wants beskar armor," Xana adds and scowls at Jango.

"It's too heavy," Jango defends himself. "I can't move around with it on, and with lighter armor, I can outlast my opponents."

Arla ignores the by-play and picks up where Xana left off.

"Every new recruit to the Haat'ade sign a contract that lasts for three to five years, depending on the Mando's preference. Then we equip them in full armor and whatever blasters they want, and if they need it, a jetpack." She explains.

"That's got to be expensive," Shmi says, and the three of them nod in agreement.

"It is, but it's better to keep them alive," Jango answers.

Shmi glances down at her vambraces. She had heard rumors about Mandalorians and their armor and how much they were worth. Shmi wondered how much more her vambraces were worth than her on the open market.

"So what do you say?" Xana asks her, and Shim looks back up at her. "Do you want beskar'gam?"

Arla makes a move to interrupt, but Xana holds up her hand for silence, and Arla complies.

Shmi holds Xana's gaze while she thinks it over.

"No. I'll join the True Mandalorians, and I will sign a contract with them if I need to, but I'm not ready to swear the Resol'nare," Shmi answers eventually. 

She hadn't expected Xana to grin at her, but the older woman looks incredibly smug about Shmi's answer.

\--

It's getting dark by the time Arla and Shmi return to the inn. Jango had gone to the _Atin_ in the early afternoon to watch over the comms while Myles was in hyperspace, so it had just been the two of them for the rest of the day. 

The same innkeeper is standing behind the desk, and he smiles at them when they enter.

"Welcome back," He says. "I didn't get the chance to introduce myself this morning. I'm Joosar."

"Nice to meet you," Arla says and strides over to clasp his hand. "Thank you for letting us rent out the entirety of your inn. You have been very generous."

Joosar waves it off. 

"You are paying a fair price," He says and gestures to the dining hall. "Members of the Haat Mando'ade started to arrive while you were gone, most of them went to bed, but there are still people gathered in the hall."

Arla thanks him and spends another minute asking about the preparations for Aay'han before she turns and leads Shmi into the dining hall.

Shmi doesn't know any of the Mandalorians gathered at the table, but Arla clearly does as she takes a seat and makes the introductions.

"Shmi, this is Cei. She is the quartermaster for the Haat'ade." Arla indicates a Duros in yellow armor, who nods at Shmi. 

"Susru," Arla points at a Zabrak with long black hair tied up in a nerf tail and yellow skin with black facial tattoos. "He is one of our best pilots," Arla continues. Susru puffs up his chest and winks at her. 

"And this is Ral. He is our resident medical expert," Arla smiles at the last person at the table, a dark-haired human in his late thirties with a complexion a couple of shades lighter than Arla's.

Ral smiles back at Arla and nods at Shmi in greeting. Ral's armor is a dark teal, almost blue in some places from what she can see. 

"Have you seen Seonaid?" Susru asks, and both Cei and Ral roll their eyes at his question.

"No," Arla answers with a raised eyebrow, and Susru deflates. "We haven't seen her, but maybe Xana has."

"Xana is in town?" Susru asks as he perks up again. "Is she staying over for the New Year?"

"Yes, she is borrowing a forge from one of the local clans-" Arla begins, but Susru is already on his feet and halfway out the door.

"I swear to Manda if he and Seonaid don't figure themselves out by Aay'han, I'm leaving the Haat'ade," Ral grouses, and Cei nods in agreement.

"They have been circling each other for too long," She complains. "If I wanted all that romance nonsense, I would have stayed with my brother."

"How are your brother and his wife doing?" Arla asks, and Cei smiles.

"Good, they are freelancing as starship instructors for anyone willing to pay," Cei answers and takes a sip of her drink.

Arla sits back in her chair. "Would he be willing to take contracts from us?" 

"Sure, but don't expect a family discount," Cei warns. "My brother was none too pleased when I swore to the Resol'nare, and besides, he is a businessman through and through. As long as you pay him, he will take most jobs."

"Good to know," Arla says and turns to Ral, who points a threatening finger at her.

"No, we are on break. I'm not talking business with you," Ral says and downs his drink. "This is the season for getting drunk." He declares

"Is that your medical opinion?" Arla asks, and Ral scowls at her.

"What did I say about work?" He threatens, and Arla laughs, but she does get up to retrieve a drink for Shmi and herself.

\--

It's early in the afternoon when Myles finally arrives at Kalevala, and Arla can leave the comm station. Jango lowers the ramp as Arla squeezes past Shmi, who has placed herself at the doorway between the cargo bay and the rest of the ship. They had left Jaster standing in the galley drinking his caf, but she hadn't been sure Jaster was even awake enough to be aware of his surroundings.

There is the sound of heavy footsteps, and then a tall Mandalorian in dark gray armor and helmet with a blue trim around the visor steps into the cargo hold. He stops in the doorway, pulls off his helmet, and scowls at Arla.

"So, problem child, what's mess have you gotten yourself into since we last saw each other?" He asks.

Arla laughs and goes to hug him. 

"Dont lie, Myles. I'm a delight," She argues as Myles returns the hug one-handed.

"A delightful disaster maybe," He mutters, but he is also smiling, and when Arla lets go, he reaches out for Jango.

"How are you doing, Jan'ika?" Myles asks when they step back from the hug.

"I'm good. I was worried you wouldn't make it for Aay'han," Jango tells him, and Myles nods. 

"It was shaky there at the end, but we finished up the contract in time," Myles tells them and ruffles Jango's hair. "How's Jaster?"

"Asleep on his feet, he was on call for the night shift," Arla says.

Myles mutters something about stubborn fools, but he quiets down when he spots Shmi, and they study each other. Myles looks to be a couple of years older than Jaster, but he has the same kind eyes.

"This is Shmi Skywalker of House Mereel," Arla says. Shmi glances at her and then looks back to meet Myles' eyes. He raises an eyebrow at Shmi.

"And are you enjoying your time in House Mereel?" Myles asks, and Shmi shifts on her feet.

"Yes," Shmi clears her throat. "They have been nothing but kind."

"Give this hellions time. They'll drive you up the wall soon enough," Myles promises. Arla makes a sound of mock offense, breaking the tension Shmi wasn't even aware was building, and Jango rolls his eyes. Myles ignores both of them and reaches out to shake Shmi's hand.

"Welcome to the Haat Mando'ade," He says and grins at her. 

"Thank you," Shmi answers with her own slight grin.

There is a sound of shuffling feet from behind her, and Myles looks over Shmi's shoulder. His face softens. Shmi turns to see what he is looking at and finds Jaster standing there with his cup of caf, blinking at them.

"Good morning," Myles teases when Jaster doesn't say anything.

"Oh kriff you, Myles," Jaster grouses, but he is smiling. "Some of us were up all night doing our jobs."

Myles scoffs and walks past Shmi.

"And what do you think I have been doing while you were on vacation on Mandalore? Getting a massage and relaxing at the beach? No. I'll tell you what, I have been shot at, cursed at, and running jobs," Myles complains as he closes in on Jaster and stabs a finger at him. "You have nothing to complain about."

But Jaster only grins at Myles and uses his free hand to pull Myles down to lean his forehead against Jaster's.

"It's good to have you back," Jaster murmurs, and Myles huffs, but he doesn't pull away.

"It's good to be home," Myles says after a second, and then he pulls back to raises an eyebrow at the Mand'alor. "You could have warned me that you had picked up another stray."

"Oh, here we go," Jaster mutters and turns to walk into the galley, with Myles close on his heels.

"You could have sent me a message at least," Myles says as he rounds the corner into the gally, and Shmi loses sight of them. 

She turns back to Arla and Jango. "Are they always like that?"

"Yes," Jango says, and Arla snickers. 

"Let's leave them alone for a while. We dont want to be here when the arguing starts," Jango suggests, and the three of them leave the _Atin_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translate:  
> Mand'alor- sole ruler  
> Elek- Yes  
> Meshurok - gemstone  
> Aay'han - bittersweet perfect moment of mourning and joy - *remembering and celebrating*  
> In this fic it's also the name of a festival.  
> Vor entye - Thank you (lit. *I accept a debt*)  
> Manda - the collective soul or heaven - the state of being Mandalorian in mind, body and spirit - also supreme, overarching, guardian-like  
> Resol'nare - Six Actions, the tenets of Mando life  
> beskar'gam - armor  
> Haat Mando'ade - True Mandalorians (lit. the true children of Mandalore)  
> Haat'ade - True children  
> Verde - soldiers  
> Atin - stubborn, tenacious, capable of endurance
> 
> I just want to add this here. I bike a lot, and the first thing I do when I remove my helmet is to use it to store my gloves, hat, and other things I pick up on the way. I like to imagine that Mandalorians can hang their helmets from their belts, if you need both hands free for other things, and that they use the helmet as an extra pocket while it's there.
> 
> Look, I didn't write the last part of the chapter just to add this pic of Jaster as a reference to how I think he looks in the last part, but I did go to Tumblr to find this post again when it was time to update the story. It's the one with the mug, not the force ghost one.
> 
> https://gdcee.tumblr.com/post/638014603049205760/two-jaster-doodles-dont-ask-me-why-hes-a-force
> 
> Also, I haven't tagged it and I'm not sure if I will, but Myles is both asexual and romantic. He and Jaster have been in a QPR for years, and he helped raise Jango and Arla.  
> I wrote in a previous chapter that Arla has been on Myles's shit list since she was fourteen, and that was because she stole his ship and crashed it. Basically, she stole her stepdad's car and took it for a joy ride.


	3. Aay'han

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter, at least the Mandalorian part, is pure self-indulgence.
> 
> Please ignore all spelling and grammar errors, I'm finishing up this fic at 03.40 AM, January 1, and I'm so tired.
> 
> Happy New Year to all!!

When Shmi arrives in the dining hall the morning of Aay'han, there is an unusually somber mood hanging over the gathered Mandalorians. 

"Morning," Shmi says and takes a seat at the table next to Arla and Myles.

"Morning," Myles says, and Arlo smiles at Shmi.

"What's going on?" Shmi asks, and both Mandalorians blink at her in confusion.

Shmi raises an eyebrow at them and gestures to the quiet room around them. Arla frowns at her, but Myles makes a sound of understanding.

"Right, we haven't explained how we celebrate Aay'han," Myles mutters. Arla mutters a quiet _oh_.

"We usually spend today in," Myes pauses while he searches for the right word. "In well, aay'han, where we spend time remembering and telling stories of our dead."

Shmi nods but can't quite keep from frowning. 

"What about the preparations we have spent the last couple of days doing?" Shmi looks between the two of them. "We have made so much food we can feed the entire city."

Which Shmi had thought was the point.

"That's for later tonight," Myles says with a smile. "In the morning, we tell stories about our Clan and the people who walked the path before us."

"What Myles is trying to say," Jaster interiors as he takes the seat next to him. "Is that in the mornings of Aay'han we tell our kids about our parents and our family so that the next generation won't forget them."

"And in the evening," Jaster continues. "We party as if the world is ending."

"Isn't that what I said?" Myles protests, and Jaster grins at him.

"I'm sure you were getting there," Jaster says and pats Myles on the cheek, but has to pull his hand away quickly when Myles tries to bite his fingers off.

Jango doesn't pay Jaster and Myles any attention as he takes a seat across from them, sits down at the table, and pulls a basket of bread towards himself. They eat mostly in silence, and when they are done, Jaster leans on the table and looks between them.

"Who wants to start?" He asks. There is a long silence before Jango speaks up.

"I miss my mom's singing," He admits, and Arla almost chokes on her drink.

"Mom was a terrible singer," She protests.

Jango nods in agreement. "But I still miss it," He looks at his sister. "Do you remember when dad told us he fell in love with her because of her singing?"

"He has to have been lying," Arla states, and Jango grins, but there's a sad tint to it.

"Probably, but he always smiled when she sang," Jango tells them, and Shmi can't help but smile herself. Then Myles leans forward and starts on a story about one of his grandparents that leaves all of them gasping for breath. 

"My parents," Shmi starts after Jaster is done talking about the Mando who took him in after he was exiled from Concord Dawn, but she hesitates.

"My parents," Shmi starts again, but the words won't come. Her breath is coming in sharp, quiet gasps, and even in the middle of a breakdown, she remembers to keep quiet. Always quiet.

Shmi feels someone leaning into her, and when she glances to the side, Arla meets her eyes.

"I don't even know if they are still alive," Shmi whispers, and Arla squeezes her hand.

"Not all stories are ready to be shared," Arla tells her. Shmi closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She might not be ready to talk about her birth parents, but as the Mando'ade is always quick to point out. Family is more than blood.

"My first Mother was an Imroosians named Rhak," Shmi says and opens her eyes. "She taught me her language and how to survive as a slave. She was an amazing individual, and she did not deserve the ending she got," Shmi tells them, tears streaming down her cheeks, and she is so angry and frustrated. At herself and the galaxy that let Rhak die.

The Mandalorians don't say anything, but when it's clear Shmi is done speaking, Jango starts talking about one of the Mandalorians that died on a mission to Kordia 6.

Shmi dries her eyes and takes a look around the room. She can't quite meet the rest of her tablemates' eyes, and to her great relief, finds that she is not the only one crying. A couple of tables over, Cei and Ral are howling with laughter even as they cry their eyes out.

They spend the next couple of hours telling stories about the people who shaped them and who are now marching far away. It's early afternoon when Jaster stands up to get everyone's attention. He looks around the room and raises a glass.

"A toast to the ones here today," Jaster says. "And a toast to the ones that we lost along the way."

The gathered Mandalorians let out a loud cheer, raising their own glass and downs it in one go. They all get up and fill out of the room to head into the market and the fire pit that has been sent up. It's time to party.

\--

It's a couple of hours past midnight, and the party has yet to lose steam. In fact, it seems to be heating up now that the kids have gone to bed. But Jaster doesn't fool himself into thinking they are actually asleep. He remembers how Arla and Jango were at that age.

Myles leans over the table to grab another drink and catches sight of something that makes him chuckle, and when Jaster follows his gaze, he can see why.

Arla has climbed up on the table and seems to be trying to get Shmi to join her, while both Susru and Seonaid are egging her on.

"Arla, no," Jaster mutters. He moves to get up and shut whatever Arla is planning down, but Myles won't let him.

"Relax, Jaster," Myles slings an arm over Jaster's shoulders and pulls him down and against his chest. "Let her have some fun. It reminds me of the first time we met," Myles murmurs against his's temple. 

Jaster stops trying to get up and instead twists to face Myles.

"What?" He asks, and Myles blinks at him in confusion. 

"The first time we met was on Manda'yaim the day I was made Mand'alor," Jaster says slowly.

"I remember you waltzing up and down that table like it was a stage," Myles says, grinning at the memory, but Jaster frowns at him.

"That's because it was a stage," he counters. The two of them blink at each other for a long second before Myles laughs in his face.

"It was not," Myles gets out between fits of laughter. "It was not a sage; it was a buffet table."

"No," Jaster argues. "It was not."

"It was. It had been cleared off only an hour before you showed up," Myles tells him. 

Jaster frowns and tries to remember the details. The stage had been somewhat high, and it had been quite odd that Lunasah had been standing next to the sage instead of on it, and… Oh.

"Oh ka'ra, that explains why Vesho called me a diva for so long," He mutters, and Myles loses his composure again.

Jaster runs a hand down his face in embarrassment, but luckily for him, a cheer from Arla's side of the table derails all the teasing Jaster knows Myles has planned, and they look over at the commotion.

It seems Arla has been successful in her effort to get Shmi up on the table, and both of them are beaming at the cheering Mandalorians. Then Arla begins stomping her feet in a slow rhythm, which Shmi and the rest of the table pick up on, so when Arla starts singing, it feels like the entire table is shaking.

 _"Our might has been questioned by enemy blades_.

_And so we now stand here together._

_Off in the distance our foemen await._

_As we don our mail and our leather."_

Arla has not inherited her mother's singing voice, so it is not half bad. Jaster recognizes the song, but Aral has sped up the tempo, and with how cheerful she is singing the lyrics, it sounds more like a drinking song than the battle song it is. Myles thumps his hands on the table in tempo with Arla's stomping and joins in on the third verse, to Jester's amusement.

 _"Hold or Advance, but never retreat_.

_Show them the meaning of battle._

_Heed not the voice that would herald defeat._

_Drive them before you like cattle._

_And let them drink deep from the chalice of death._

_And let the draught flow bitter black._

_For any who challenge the rule of our King,_

_Let us vow they shall never march back!"_

The song ends on a loud cheer and toasts for those whose cups are still standing, and then Susru is jumping up on the table and asking Shmi to dance, which she accepts. Susru takes Shmi's hand, and then they are swinging around on a table that's technically not big enough for this.

Seonaid, not to be outdone by her fiance -and thank Ka'ra that was now official, or Jaster might have done something drastic- jumps up on the table, bows Arla, who bows back, and then, to Jaster's horror, they both pull out their knives to start dueling.

"No!" Jaster yells and gets up on the table to put an end to this. Arla spins to face him and loses her footing. Jaster reaches for her, and Arla grabs hold of him, but her momentum is too strong, and both of them go over the edge of the table. There is a loud crash as the two of them hit the floor, and people cheer.

"We're alright," Arla calls out to whoever is watching. There is the sound of hurting footsteps than Myles's voice.

"Exactly how much did you have to drink?" Myles asks Arla, who giggles at him.

"Twice," She answers.

"I'm too old for this," Jaster mutters to himself but doesn't move from where he landed face down on the floor.

Myles calls out

"Diva," and Jaster makes an offended noise that Myles ignores. Bastard.

"Come on, problem child, let's get some water in you," Myles says. There is the sound of shuffling feet, and Jaster rolls over to see what's going on.

Myles has steered Arla to an open seat next to Jango, who slings an arm over her shoulders and presses a glass of water into her hands. Then Myles turns to pull Jaster to his feet.

"Careful," Myles chides as Jaster stumbles into his chest.

"I'm fine," Jaster mumbles. This is, to Jaster's chagrin, not his first tumble off a table, but usually, he is drunk when it happens.

He pulls back to look around the room. "We're alright," he says, and Myles follows his gaze.

Their people are alive and happy. Shmi jumps down from the table to join Arla and Jango in an argument, and Susru dips Seonaid for a kiss, as the rest of the room cheers and calls out for a toast.

"Yeah, we're gonna be fine," Myles agrees.

\--

Qui-Gon plots in the last hyperspace jump and sits back in his chair. It's only hours away from the New Year, and Obi-Wan is, there is no other way to put it, sulking. 

He had been fine when they got the mission two days ago, but since then, he had been miserable, and Qui-Gon can't figure out why. And the mission is nothing they haven't handled before. 

He and Obi-Wan have been tasked with finding the second part of a smuggling operation that the authorities on Corsin had apprehended. Since the smugglers had crossed sector lines, they had called in the Jedi for help with the investigation. There should be no reason for Obi-Wan's bad mood.

Sighing, Qui-Gon gives up and goes looking for his wayward apprentice. 

He finds Obi-Wan in the hanger bay walking around an obstacle course made up of whatever Obi-Wan has been able to find. His Padawan has a blindfold over his eyes and is trying to move around using only the Force, just like Thal has been teaching him and the other Padawans. Qui-Gon has no idea why the Padawans decided that Force Vision was something they wanted to learn, but Thal had been delighted when they asked her to teach them.

"Fuck," Obi-Wan mutters as he stubs his toe on the crat, and he stumbles to a halt.

"Your improving," Qui-Gon comments, and Obi-Wan freezes. He removes the blindfold and turns to look at Qui-Gon.

"Thank you," Obi-Wan says and looks down at his hands. "But I'm still not as good as Master Thal."

"Give it time, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon says with a grin, but Obi-Wan only tightens his hold on the blindfold and doesn't meet his eyes.

There is a long silence between them before Qui-Gon sits down on one of the nearby crates.

"What's wrong?" He asks, but Obi-Wan only looks more mulish and keeps quiet. "Is this about missing the New Year celebration in the Temple?" Qui-Gon prods.

Obi-Wan glances at him but looks down again. "No," he mutters. 

Qui-Gon keeps quiet and waits him out. There are hours until he is needed back in the cockpit, and Qui-Gon has time and patience on his side. Obi-Wan sighs and looks back up at him.

"Lumunara was supposed to come home for the holidays," Obi-Wan says. 

"Padawan Unduli will still be there when we get back," Qui-Gon replies, trying to reassure him, but Obi-Wan shakes his head.

"No, she won't. Luminara is returning to Mirial after the New Year to finish up her studies, and she won't be back before spring," Obi-Wan tells him, and Qui-Gon winces. He hadn't known that Padawan Unduli was returning to Mirial for another semester, nor had he know that she would be back for the holidays.

"How long has Padawan Unduli been out of Temple?" Qui-Gon asks instead.

"Six months," Obi-Wan says.

"Is she staying for a full year?" Qui-Gon inquires, and Obi-Wan nods. 

Looking down at his hands, Qui-Gon tries to find something to say.

"Have you considered taking a semester outside the Temple yourself? To go to your home planet?" He asks after a short pause. 

It's customary that every Padawam returns to their planet and their people for an exchange year. Not every Padawan stays for as long as Padawan Unduli has, but they usually stay for a couple of months. 

That had also been the plan when Qui-Gon and Xan- and his former Padawan had been dispatched to Telos IV, but that had not been what happened. Instead, they had found a world at the brink of civil war, and it had ripped them apart.

"Where would I go?" Obi-Wan asks, and Qui-Gon looks up at him with a frown.

"Stewjon, of course," Qui-Gon answers.

"We dont know that I'm Stewjoni," Obi-Wan protests.

"We did a DNA test when you were taken in," Qui-Gon reminds him.

"Right, a DNA test, for all we know, my ancestors left Stewjon generations ago," Obi-Wan says, and Qui-Gon lets out a sigh.

He can feel Obi-Wan's frustration ripple through the Force, and he opens his mouth to remind his Pawdawan to _mind his feelings_ but thinks better of it. That is not what Obi-Wan needs right now. 

Instead, Qui-Gon projects as much calm and peace as he can into the Force around Obi-Wan, and it seems to help.

He has read Obi-Wan's file and his arrival at the temple and Qui-Gon had agreed with Master Yoda that it was an unusual case. 

Obi-Wan's parents had been told by someone, who was not a Jedi, that their son was Force-sensitive. They had sought the Jedi out on their own accord, and when they arrived at Coruscant, they had delivered him to one of the temple guards, and then they had walked away, leaving him with nothing but a name. 

Qui-Gon knew that Obi-Wan had been told all of this when he was younger, but he had not realized that it still bothered him this much.

"If you dont want to go to Stewjon, it's fine," Qui-Gon tells him once Obi-Wan is calmer. And it is, not every Jed wants to go back to their planet of origin, but Obi-Wan's feeling on the issue isn't great, and they need to be dealt with, but Qui-Gon doesn't think forcing the issue at this time would be a wise move. 

All the steam goes out of Obi-Wan, and he slumps down to sit on the floor. "I'm sorry, Master," He mumbles. "Luminara, Quinlan, and I grew up in Crèche together, and I- I miss her. And after all that happened this year, I can't even talk to her about it."

Qui-Gon gets up, sits down next to his moping apprentice, and places a hand on his shoulder.

"You want to tell me about it? Or," he adds when Obi-Wan wrinkles his nose. "Do you want to meditate?"

"Meditate," Obi-Wan answers quickly. "Then can you show me that thing you did, where you caught the blaster bolt in your hand?"

Laughing, Qui-Gon settles down properly to meditate. "Perhaps we should start on something easier first, like absorbing and redirecting heat."

"We learned that at the academy," Obi-Wan protests. 

"Well, then," Qui-Gon lifts an amused eyebrow at him. "I might have to up the heat."

\--

When Shmi stumbles to bed hours before sunrise, she is tired but so happy she could burst. She is unsure if her favorite part of her day had been the performers putting on a play about old Mandalorian legends or the food, but either way, this day has been perfect. Shmi removes her vambraces but pauses, and runs her fingers over the two suns she has painted on them.

 _“Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum_ ,” Shmi whispers. Her list of dead is too long, but she goes through it anyway, and she falls asleep thinking about her parents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum - I'm still alive, but you are dead. I remember you, so you are eternal"—Daily remembrance of those passed on, followed by the names of those being remembered
> 
> Aay'han - bittersweet perfect moment of mourning and joy - *remembering and celebrating*
> 
> The song Arla is singing is Atlantian Steel by Samantha Moore. You exchange Atlantian for Mandalorian and you are golden.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDjfc5OuOJQ


	4. Calm before the storm

Arla spends the first day of the new year hungover and aching. On the second day, she stops by Ral to get checked over, but he laughs her out of the room.

"You fell off a table," Ral tells her.

"I have no memories of that," Arla argues, but he only rolls his eyes at her.

"I bet you don't, just drink water, and you'll be fine," Ral says, but he hands her a couple of pain pills on the way out the door of the inn. Heading towards the cantina, Arla goes through the market, where she spots Susru and Shmi on the curb next to one of the food stalls. They seem to be in an in-depth conversation about flying, and Arla feels her spirits rise. The Haat'ade had taken to Shmi, and Susru especially, and Shmi had fitted right in among them. 

Susru makes a motion with his hand, simulating a plane in a barrel roll, and Arla feels her own stomach turn, and she decides that whatever happens, there is not her problem. She stops to let someone pass and continues down towards the river. A couple of streets before Arla reaches the riverside park, she turns left to enter _Uvete_ , the cantina. There she finds Jaster and Myles hunched over a table eating lunch. The smell of food doesn't make Arla sick, as it did yesterday, so she takes a seat next to Jaster and reaches for a glass of water.

"Have you heard from Clan Cadera?" Myles asks.

"They're sending representatives," Jaster confirms between bites. "As is Clan Tenau and Clan Ordo."

"Clan Tenau is split, but Clan Ordo has supported you since the beginning," Myles says, and Jaster rolls his eyes.

"Relax, Myles. Those who are coming are already supporting me, and those that don't are willing to be convinced," Jaster frowns down at his food. "It's the ones that don't show we have to worry about."

"Speaking off," Duke Kryze says as he slides into the seat across from Arla. He is followed by his daughter Satine. The Duke nods at her and looks back at Jaster. "Clan Vizsla just sent their response."

"Yeah, well, we didn't expect them to appear," Myles tells him, but Adonai only grins back.

"They accepted the invitation," He says, and Myles turns his head to look at the Duke in disbelief. "As did Clan Varad and Clan Mozh."

"That is not a good thing," Myles protests. "It's a security risk!"

"Are you saying we should retract the invitations?" Satin asks. There is an underlayer of steel in her voice, and Arla gets the impression that if Myles says yes, she will fight him on this. Pacifist or not. 

Myles narrows his eyes at her. He looks ready to throw down with Heir Kryze, but luckily Jaster speaks up first. "What Myles means is that Clan Vizsla has a pattern of behavior we can't ignore."

"There are people from Clan Vizsla in the New Mandalorians," Satine argues. "They are not all Death Watch."

"You say that as if the New Mandalorians are any better," Myles mutters darkly into his drink, and Satine flushes red in outrage.

"Satine," Adonai says, and her eyes snap to her father's. "Clan Kryze called this meeting, and that means everyone that attends is under our protection. If any of the Clans break their word about keeping the peace, it's not only they who suffer the consequences but Clan Kryze as well. Myles has arranged several of these meetings in the past, and his concerns are valid."

Satin holds her father's eyes for several seconds until she looks back at Myles. "I did not mean-"

Myles lets out a bark of laughter. "Kid, look, don't hold back, say what you mean. Half the fun of these meetings is the arguing and the betting. Speaking of-" Myles turns to grin at Jaster. "You want in on the action? My money is on Clan Bralor drawing first blood." 

Satine frowns in disapproval at them, but Jaster raises an eyebrow at Myles. "That's a sucker bet. Of course, Clan Bralor is drawing first blood. They are sending Aella, aren't they?"

"They are," Myles says with a grin.

"Then we're lucky if there isn't a full-on brawl within hours of her landing on Kalevala," Jaster says with an answering smirk. Myles's grin widens, and his eyes shift to look over Arla and Jaster's shoulders. 

Jaster doesn't get the chance to turn around before there is a heavy hand on his shoulder and a woman speaks up. "You talking shit, Mand'alor?" 

Arla twists to see the newcomer and is greeted with the familiar sight of Aella Bralor's red and black armor. Aella is about the same age as Jaster and has short straight back hair. She has a double-ax at her hip, and Arla knows from experience that the woman knows how to use it.

"Aella!" Jaster exclaims and gets to his feet. He turns, and Aella gives a short bow, fist over her heart before she meets Jaster halfway in a hug. They step back, and Jaster grins at her. "You're early. The meeting doesn't start before the day after tomorrow."

"The best thing about these meetings is the drinking and the fighting," Aella replies. She ruffles Arla's hair and leans over the table to shake first Adonai's hand, then Myles, who gives her a significant look that Arla can't interpret, but Aella clearly can. "You're not supposed to know that," She hisses at Myles, who only smirks. 

"What can I say. I'm just that good," Myles shrugs.

Aella only grunts and finally looks at Satine. "It's nice to finally meet you, Mini Kryze. I bet your old man hasn't told you anything about me." 

"Nothing more than your name and Clan," Satine confirms. She looks less than pleased at the nickname but bears with it.

"I figured," Aella huff. She looks around the room. "I see Vesho isn't here yet. Where is Shea? I need someone who can keep up with me in a fight to talk to."

Satine looks utterly bewildered at that description of her buir, but Adonai is the one to answer her question. "She is with Bo-Katan and Agaar. They are back at the inn."

"How old is Bo'ika now?" Aella asks.

"Almost two," Adonai nods in agreement.

Aella throws a couple of more snarky comments around before she says goodby and stalks out the door to hunt down Shea. She passes by Shmi on the way out, and Arla is quick to wave her over to their table. Shmi sits down, and Arla turns back to the conversation between Myles and Adonai that has turned back around to the Clans.

"Clan Vizla is also coming, of course," Adonai says. 

Next to Arla, Shmi hesitates then leans closer to ask her a question. "Isn't Vizsla Death Watch?"

Arla frowns at her, then realizes what Shmi is asking. "Yes and no. First, Clan Viz **s** la and Clan Vizla are two different clans. Second, Tor Viz **s** la is Death Watch, but he doesn't have his Clan's full support. When he started Death Watch, he did have the Clan leaders backing, but he was killed a couple of years after Death Watch started." Arla considers telling Shmi more of that story but is not relevant at the moment. 

"Long story very, very short: Clan Vizsla has had several Clanheads since then, and even though the Clan has most of its members in Death Watch, the Clan has been divided into several factions. Some loyal to Tor Vizsla, others to the New Mandalorians, and some to Jaster." Alra explains to Shmi, who nods.

"So which Clan is coming here?" Shmi asks.

"Both Clan Vizsla and Clan Vizla," Arla says with a shrug. "I suspect it's one of the factions more friendly to the Haat'ade that is showing up from Clan Vizsla, but I could be wrong."

"That could be messy," Shmi states, and Arla nods.

"Yeah, security is gonna be tight on this," Arla agrees. She looks around the cantina again. People are hanging around, but there is a tension seeping into the air, and Arla can't help but think of the calm before the storm.

"Is Clan Lok sending their own representative, or are they relying on you?" Jaster asks Myles.

"Clan Lok and Clan Farr are sending a joint representative, but everyone knows how they stand already, considering I'm your second in command," Myles responds.

"You're from Clan Lok?" Satine asks with interest and leans forward to look around her buir to see Myles properly. "You don't use the name."

"I had a falling out with my family, but Clan head Atoka and I grew up in the same compound, so she trusts me to represent the Clan when she can't be bothered to go," Myles answers and looks back at Jaster. "I think they might send Rahn."

"He's seventeen, right?" Jaster asks, and Myles nods.

"His uncle, Une, will be with him," Myles adds, and Jaster relaxes.

\--

Jaster spends a couple of minutes hunting down his ade. He finds them loitering and gossiping with Xana in the forge she is borrowing, and he drags them down to the gate to greet the New Mandalorian delegation. It's late afternoon already, and the meeting is supposed to start tomorrow morning, and Jaster can admit he was a little nervous the New Mandalorians wouldn't show up. If he can get them to present a united front against Death Watch, he has half the battle won.

The New Mandalorians have sent two representatives, one from Mandalore and one from Kalevala. They arrive on two different ships, making Jaster frown. It seems that the Old Clans are not the only ones being fractured by the ongoing war. Amistar Aboleth, the one from Mandalore, is a human male in his late twenties with blond hair and pale ivory skin. He greets Jaster with a fleeting smile and a quick handshake. His Kalevalan counterpart, on the other hand, is an older human woman with hair that might have been a different color, but now is pure white, named Dis Torr, who greets Jaster warmly.

"Welcome to Yaian," Jaster gestures to Arla, Jango, and Shmi. "This is my aliit."

Aboleth's mouth thins, and it looks like he is sucking on a lemon. "A pleasure," He says, and Dis echoes his words.

"We have arranged housing for you in the city," Jaster tells them, and Aboleth's nostrils flare. "But you are free to stay on your ships if that's more comfortable for you," Jaster finishes with a tight smile. 

"I will be staying on the ship," Aboleth assures him, and Jaster nods in agreement. 

"I think I'll take you up on the offer of housing," Torr says. "It's been too long since I have seen Yaian up close."

"You have been here before?" Jaster asks in surprise, and the old woman smiles.

"A long time ago," Torr agrees. She turns to look back at the landing area as another couple of ships sets down. "We better get going. If my eyes don't deceive me, that is Clan Vizslas colors, and that is Clan Awaud." She tightens her hold on her walking stick.

Jaster raises an eyebrow at her but doesn't comment. Torr is also correct in her assessment of the ships: Clan Vizsla and Clan Awaud coming in for docking.

"I can have one of my ade show you the way," Jaster offers, but the old woman waves away his suggestion. 

"I might be old, but I still remember my way around this town; just give me the name of the inn" She takes the arm of one of her assistants as Arla hands over the details to one of the assistants. "I'll see you tomorrow Mand'alor." She nods at him, and then she heads into the city. Aboleth glances between them and the incoming Mandalorians before he heads in after Torr. 

The first group to reach Jaster is Clan Vizsla, and it's a smaller contingent than Jaster had expected at only three members. The leader places a hand over his heart and gives a short bow, and the two other copies him, and then he introduces himself as Cort Vizsla.

"Mand'alor, after the meeting, at your earliest convenience, I have a message from the Clan head," Cort says.

"We can do it now?" Jaster suggests, but Cort shakes his head.

"After the meeting," He insists. "We-" 

"Mand'alor!" A voice boom out and Cort steps to the side to let Vesho pass. He nods at Jaster and walks into Yaian, disappearing down the main street.

"Vesho," Jaster says with a smile, and then he is pulled into a hug. "You're late."

"The meeting starts tomorrow," Vesho insists as he puts Jaster back down on his feet and turns to Arla and Jango. "My favorite hellions!" He shakes their hands. "It's good to see you again."

Jaster shakes his head and looks the Mando over. Vesho is a giant of a man. The right side of his face is scarred by burn marks, leading down his neck and disappearing down his armor line, and the left eye bisected by a long knife scar. He is missing several fingers on his right hand, and Jaster knows Vesho is missing his right foot, but he dont seem to have lost any more digits or gotten any new injuries since they last met.

"You too, Vesho," Arla says with a grin. "And Aella says you're late."

"She's here already?" Vesho grins and looks up at the gates to Yaian. "Then, I am late, indeed."

"You're the representative for Clan Awaud?" Jango asks.

"I am," Vesho agrees.

"What has the world come to, where Nam Baroya has sent you to represent him?" Jaster asks. Jaster is smiling as he asks it, but it fades as Vesho's smile freezes on his face. He meets Jaster's eyes and grimaces. 

"Let's leave the serious talk for the morrow," Vesho says, and Jaster nods, hesitantly, in agreement. "Besides, you have others to greet."

Jaster blinks and turns to look at the people following Vesho, and he blinks in surprise when he recognizes the nearest Mando. "Rayna? I thought Cheiftan Kass wasn't gonna send anyone?" 

"Mand'alor Mereel," Rayna Kass gives Jaster a short bow before she removes her helmet. "Lady Kass was convinced by your argument."

Jaster laughs, and Rayna gives him a slight smile.

"It didn't feel like that at the moment," Jaster tells her.

"I am here, aren't I?" Rayna says. She turns to wave at Arla, Jango, and Shmi. It has only been a couple of weeks since they saw each other last on Mandalore, but Arla looks delighted to have Rayna back in her orbit.

"You are," Jaster agrees. He looks back out at the shipyard. All the clans that have decided to show up are here, and even some that didn't. Clan Sornell, Clan Eldar, and Clan Tervho had arrived earlier this morning, so the stage is set, and the only thing now is to start the show. 

Jaster sighs and turns back to his ade. "Let's go find Myles." 

Tomorrow is gonna be an interesting day.


	5. Su cuy'gar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see. This chapter got caught up in my January blues and is therefore late. I'm not one hundred percent happy with it, but if I want to continue writing this story it needs to be posted so I can move on.
> 
> Su cuy'gar - you're still alive.
> 
> It felt appropriate.

When Jango and Arla head for the cantina the next morning, the first thing they notice is that the town deflector shield is up. The shield encapsulated the entire town and is Yaian's primary defense. There are rumors that there are tunnels under the city connecting the buildings, but Arla hasn't seen anything while she has been here.

She glances at Jango, who shrugs and keeps walking. "The Guards are probably just flexing their muscles," he offers. Arla eyes the shield again and sighs. Tension has been rising in the city, especially since Clan Varad arrived, and Arla shouldn't be surprised that the locals are making a show of strength. 

A large crowd has gathered outside the Uvete, but they step to the side when they recognize Arla and Jango, letting them pass. Inside the cantina, it's just as crowded as outside. 

The cantina is a long building with a bar and kitchen in one end and booths lining the walls. Usually, smaller tables were filling the rest of the available space, but now some of them have been arranged to form one long table. Arla finds Jaster at the head of the table, and she takes the seat next to him while Jango slinks back to lean against the bar next to Shmi. Opposite Arla, at the other end of the table is Duke Kryze and Satine. Or it's where Satine should have been, but she is standing with Amistar and Dis, the New Mandalorians, and seems to be having a grand old time.

Something that does not go unnoticed by the Mandalorians lucky enough to get a front-row seat to this meeting.

Arla greets several of the representatives while she waits for the meeting to start. She might not know all their names, but she recognizes their clan markings and colors. It seems House Kast did make it after all, as did Clan Rodarch. 

Clan Sornell is here as well, but considering that the Mand'alor before Jaster had been the current Clan heads sister, it would have been downright disrespectful for them not to be represented. Arla wonders which way they will go in this debate. Mand'alor Valoss Sornell had been a traditionalist, as is her sister Rumu, but Arla also knows that Rumu had supported Jaster for Mand'alor. Or so Myles kept telling her when he recounted that particular meeting. The last spot at the table is filled up, and when Jaster stands up, the crowd falls silent. 

"Su cuy'gar." Jaster greets. 

"For now," someone the crowd calls out cheerfully. 

"For now." Jaser agrees with a smile. He waits until the laughter dies down before continuing. "Before we start, I want to thank Duke Kryze for making this meeting possible." He looks over at the Duke, who raises his glass in a toast. There is another short burst of cheers that Jaster waits out. "Yes, thank you, Duke Kryze. But back to why we are here; Death Watch."

"I heard you had a run-in with them on Galidraan," the representative from Clan Tenau says. "That you almost got yourself and the Haat'ade killed."

"We did not expect Death Watch to use the Republic to do their dirty work," Jaster agrees. He glances at the New Mandalorians for half a second before he looks back at Tenau. "Luckily, we have a pretty good information network, and we were informed of the Senate's machinations. With the warning, we were able to take advantage of the situation and turn it to our advantage," Jaster says with a grin. It's not a friendly grin. 

Arla keeps her face blank as the Clans glances between the New Mandalorians and Jaster. She is unsure if he intends to imply that the New Mandalorians were the ones who told him or if he is reprimanding them for not reporting it to him. Either way, Amistar looks like he just tasted something foul, and Arla is living for it.

"So Death Watch is on the run?" Vesho asks.

One of the representatives from Clan Varad scoffs, but Jaster ignores it. "They are on the defensive. From what we can tell, Galidraan was one of their main bases. We are waiting for the Kandam to be back up and running before we launch our counterstrike."

Myles decides to enter the conversation. "The upgrades should be done soon, and we have people in the field gathering intel." He is sitting right behind Arla, but she doesn't have to turn around to know that the grin on his face matches Jaster's. 

The Kandam is the Haat'ade's flagship, and it is currently down for repairs and upgrades. When Jaster had first gotten it, the Kandam had been a carrier ship, and it had worked fine as that during the first few years of the war with Death Watch. But after the incident on Korda Six and the last years of intense fighting, it had been decided to fit the ship with more guns. Making it more of a carrier/warship hybrid than a pure carrier, and Arla can't wait to get back to it. The Atin is a fine ship and bigger than most, but she misses having the entirety of the Haat'ade gathered at one place.

"That's well and good," Udo Mozh says, and Arla feels her eye twitch. Udo Mozh is one of the most slippery bastards Arla has ever met. Myles is one hundred percent sure they are loyal to Death Watch, but he has never been able to prove it. The Clan has always been able to keep their name out of the mud by bribes or threats. "But should you even have taken the ship out of the fight? It sounds like you really could have used the Kandam at Galidraan to putting an end to this fight. Furthermore, who is paying for the upgrades to the ship? I do hope you haven't come back to us to ask for money?"

As Jaster starts explaining that he is the one paying for this and that this is not like when he asked the clans for help, and they gave him the Kandam, Arla can see the self-satisfied curl to Udo's mouth. 

Hours later, when the debate has moved on from the cost of the ongoing war and how the Haat'ade is failing in keeping the people safe, and onto how it is Jaster's personal fault for how the Trade Federation is hiking up prices, Arla wants to bang her head against the table. Jaster is defending himself well, but this was not what this debate was supposed to be about.

Finally, the conversation moves to Death Watch, but again the conversation is derailed.

"Fighting is not the solution to every problem," Amistar says in response to something the representative from Clan Sornell said. "You need to stop this insanity. You are killing Mandalore."

"And what would you have us do?" Aella Bralor says as she rolls her eyes. "Lay down our weapons and let Death Watch kill us all?"

"That is not what I said. I'm just saying there has to be another way that doesn't involve destroying our environment," Amistar argues.

"Death Watch is not willing to talk, nor are they willing to back down," Jaster states. He looks around the room, and then he meets Amistar's eyes. "Tor Vizsla wants to build an empire, and to do that, he needs soldiers, and he needs resources. He believes that we should return to the old ways. That fighting and war is the only right way of life and that peace is weak. We can not let that belief fester."

"I understand," Amistar begins. "But we need to deescalate-"

"As if Death Watch wants to deescalate anything," Aella crosses her arms and scowls at Amistar. "Those who don't join up with Death Watch will be killed. Tor Viszla doesn't want peace. He wants to rule."

Amistar can't entirely hide his sneer, but his face smooths out quickly enough. "As barbaric as that is-"

"You mean Kyr'tsad will kill _them_ ," One of the representatives from Clan Varad says and gestures at the New Mandalorians. If Arla remembers correctly, his name is Lux. They have been quiet so far in the discussion. "We follow the Resol'nare. We are Mandalorians. Kyr'tsad will treat us with respect, and Tor Viszla will bring us honor."

A low muttering goes through the crowd, but Arla can't hear or focus on it. There is the sound of blood thundering in her ears as she stands up and leans over the table.

" _Respect? Honor?_ " Arla sneers. She almost doesn't recognize her own voice. "Tor Vizsla brings nothing but suffering and violence to everyone around him. He will not bring you _honor_. Tor Vizsla is a coward and dar'manda."

There's dead silence. 

"Tor Vizsla is not a coward!" Lux cries, and Arla gives him an unimpressed look. "And he is a-"

"Then why hasn't he challenged Jaster for the title of Mand'alor?" Arla asks. Varad is still red-faced, but he has no response to Arla's question, so she turns to Amistar.

"If the Haat'ade stops fighting, Death Watch will turn on Sundari and burn it to the ground. Afterward, they will take whoever is left and put them through their training program," Arla meets Amistars eyes. "We, my vode and I, are the only thing standing between Death Watch and the destruction of the New Mandalorians."

"Surely they would not kill unarmed civilians," Amistar says. His voice is steady, but Arla can read the unease in his eyes.

"Tor Vizsla would," Arla holds his eyes for a long time before she turns to look back at Clan Varad. "And I think you're assigning Death Watch an honor they don't have."

She is so angry she doesn't even hesitate for a second before she starts removing her upper armor. Jango, always on the same wavelength, steps up next to her and picks up the armor pieces she takes of. 

"What are you doing?" the representative from Clan Rodarch asks. He sounds slightly scandalized as Arla lays her armor down on the table and removes her flight suit.

"Control your daughter," Amistar tells Jaster, but he only shrugs.

"My ad has a point to make. I say we listen to what she has to say," Jaster briefly catches her eye and smiles. He knows what she is doing.

Arla can tell when her back is visible to the people standing behind her because the low murmur that has been building goes quiet. When Arla is standing naked, except for her breast binder, she glances at Xana, but the blacksmith has put her helmet back on and looks pointedly at the floor. Looking back at the table, Arla catches Cort Vizsla's eyes, but he seems just as confused as the rest. She isn't sure if that makes it better or worse, but Arla takes a deep breath and turns around. 

There is a sharp intake of breath and low cursing, but it can't cover up the stunned silence. You can hear a needle drop, and Arla keeps her breathing steady through pure force of will.

"I was ten years old when Vizsla did this to me," Arla says, breaking the silence. Burned into her back is the Death Watch's symbol. The shriek-hawk starts at the top of her shoulder blades and ends at her lower back.

"Why- Why would he do that?" Satine asks, voice unsteady. She has probably never seen what Death Watch does to the people they disagree with.

"Because Vizsla heard that Jaster had adopted my brother, and he thought it would be funny if I was Death Watch and Jango was a True Mandalorian," Arla clenches her fist and rolls her shoulder. "So he tortured me, fed me Death Watch propaganda, and put me through their training program. But it wasn't enough."

Nothing would ever be enough for Tor Vizsla.

"He wanted to break me, and it would have worked," Arla turns around, places her hands flat on the table, and meets the Clan representatives' eyes one after another. She needs them to understand what they are up against. "This is what will happen to your children if the True Mandalorians stops fighting. The training program is designed to break you down and rebuild you in their image, to follow their orders, to die for their cause."

Some of the Clan representatives look a little green or their species equivalent. Arla looks to the New Mandalorians. "This is why we are fighting. This is why my vode is dying to protect you, who sits behind your walled cities and watch as we are slaughtered while fighting for our people's freedom."

Amistar holds her eyes for a second before he has to look away.

"And what do you want us to do?" Dis asks. Arla meets the eyes of the New Mandalorian representative. "Stay neutral and get caught in the crossfire or join you and die for your cause?"

Meeting her eyes, Arla shakes her head. "I would not say no to more fighters; Myles would kill me if I did-" 

"You're damned right I would," Myles says to sporadic laughter. 

"-but the Haat'ade has enough soldiers to win this war," Arla continues. "I'm not asking you to fight. I'm asking you not to hide Death Watch on your Clan lands. I'm asking you not to stay neutral towards Death Watch and offer aid to those willing to fight them. I'm asking you to make a choice and not stand by as Death Watch murders people."

The look in Dis eyes is triumphant, but Arla doesn't get the opportunity to examine it closer.

"To do that, to support you publicly," The other representative from Clan Varad says. She raises an eyebrow and looks around the room. "Kyr'tsad will hunt you down and kill you all." That had sounded more like a promise than a warning.

"Fifteen years ago-," Arla glances at Jango, who meets her eyes with a slight smile and a nod. "- our parents chose to help the Haat'ade. They found Jaster on the run from Death Watch, and they decided to help him. In return, they were killed."

"You are not making a convincing argument for us to get involved," Amistar says, and Arla grinds her teeth.

"Our parents could have chosen to do nothing and, in doing so, let the Haat'ade and the Mand'alor die. But where would you be now if they had made that choice?" She asks and looks around the room.

No one answers, but they all know it would not be good, so she continues. "If the Haat'ade were all dead, Death Watch would turn all their attention at the New Mandalorians. They would destroy your cities, take your children and kill all who disagree with them." Arla looks at the Old Clans. "And when they are done with them, Death Watch would come for you."

"They can try," the representative from Clan Sornell says, and several of the Clans chuckle, but it comes out stilted. 

"They will," Arla knocks on the table and looks around the room. "And if we don't stand together against them, we will all fall. I am my Mother's daughter, and I am choosing to fight Death Watch, not to let them hurt my people, and to fight to my death if I must."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In a previous chapter I asked for ship names and you all delivered. I saved all of them onto a note on my phone, so when I needed to name the Haat'ade's carrier ship I just pulled up my phone and found one I liked.
> 
> This is the comment and the meaning of the name:  
> "Kandam? Kand seems to be the root several words regarding respect, importance and add a weightiness to a word, and 'am' means change. No break as the other words with kand as a root seem to not have it, and not ori'am because big-change makes it sound like your shoving change, whereas kand doesn't do that. Could be kando'am, important change, but I feel like the fluidity of mando'a would allow for a word like kandam to be like, change vs measly change.
> 
> Since the Haat Mando'ade and the ideology behind the supercommando codex are, in effect, an important change for Mandalore."
> 
> Oh, and if you feel like I should add tags or warnings, please leave a comment. I have tried to tag appropriately but I have probably overlooked something.
> 
> Translation:  
> Su cuy'gar [Soo COO-ee-gar] Hello - lit. *You're still alive.*  
> uvete [oo-VAY-tay] worlds (poetic)  
> Kyr'tsad [KEERT-sahd] Death Watch (lit. Death Society) - breakaway Mandalorian sect  
> Resol'nare [RAY-sol NAH-ray] Six Actions, the tenets of Mando life  
> Mand'alor [MAHN-dah-lor] sole ruler  
> ad [ahd] daughter/ son  
> vod [vohd] brother/ sister/ comrade, *mate*  
> Haat'ade Nickname for the True Mandalorians - lit. *True children  
> Haat Mando'ade True Mandalorians


End file.
